It's another homecoming for Catherine Reddick on Saturday when the U.S. women's national team faces Brazil in Birmingham, Ala. (ESPN2, 11:55 a.m. CDT), in the first of six anticipated domestic friendlies before the Americans compete in the Olympic tournament in Greece.

Reddick, from Birmingham, will anchor the U.S. backline at Legion Field in the absence of Joy Fawcett, who is recovering from back surgery.

''You can't ask for a more special event, for me — aside from the Olympics,'' said Reddick, who enjoyed a breakthrough performance at the Women's World Cup last fall after Brandi Chastain sustained a broken foot.

''Birmingham is something special for me. I have a lot of Alabama pride. I have a lot of friends from Birmingham who are going to be there — a lot of church friends, a lot of school friends. Playing in front of your family, playing in front of a home crowd where soccer is building so much down there, it's very special. I've been excited to go there since I found out [we were playing in Birmingham].''

It's Reddick's second trip to Alabama with the U.S. women. The Americans routed England, 6-0, last May as Cindy Parlow scored four goals.

Reddick and the other 17 players on Saturday's roster were drawn from 31 players in the U.S. Olympic Residency camp in Carson, Calif. Included on the roster for the Brazil game are two ''guest'' players, goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill and forward Christie Welsh, both of whom are expected to receive contracts to remain in the U.S. camp until the Olympics, which will be staged in August.

Welsh, a four-time All-American at Penn State who played for the WUSA's New York Power, has scored 12 goals in 21 appearances with the U.S. national team. Luckenbill, a former Dartmouth star who played for the Carolina Courage, is uncapped.

U.S. coach April Heinrichs hopes to see ''zestful play'' from her team.

''I still can't tell is we're going to be rested enough for the game, because we've worked them really hard …,'' Heinrichs said. ''We're itching for a game.''

She said she was looking for ''improvement in the areas we've talked about: possession, getting numbers forward, holding onto the ball long enough to get numbers forward, getting wing-backs forward, having the forwards receive and play connected and combining off of each other.''

Brazil, also headed to the Olympic Games, is led by star attacking midfielder Marta and former WUSA standouts Daniela, a defensive midfielder, and Katia, a forward. Marta, just 18, stars for European women's champion Umea IK, and Daniela, with Kopparbergs/Goteborg, also plays in the Swedish League.

The Brazilian team is coached by Brazilian Rene Simoes, who coached Jamaica at the 1998 men's World Cup.

Three more U.S. friendlies have been announced: May 9 against Mexico in Albuquerque, N.M., June 6 against Japan in Louisville, Ky.; and July 21 against Australia in Blaine, Minn.

The U.S. roster:

GOALKEEPERS
Kristin Luckenbill 0 caps/0 goals
Briana Scurry 135/0

DEFENDERS
Brandi Chastain 174/30
Kate Markgraf 115/0
Heather Mitts 16/0
Christie Rampone 115/4
Catherine Reddick 53/4

MIDFIELDERS
Shannon Boxx 20/9
Lori Chalupny 6/0
Julie Foudy 150/43
Kristine Lilly 270/95
Lindsay Tarpley 20/7
Aly Wagner 60/14

FORWARDS
Mia Hamm 254/147
Heather O'Reilly 21/3
Cindy Parlow 140/68
Abby Wambach 34/23
Christie Welsh 21/12

Head Coach: April Heinrichs